Perspective, part 1

People who look through keyholes are apt to get the idea that most things are keyhole shaped.  ~Author Unknown

Ever find yourself thinking about how something is, and realize that you're upset or frustrated with someone else for not really getting it? It doesn't really matter in what area - It could be in a relationship, a job, a political discussion, a church...We see things a certain way, and it's sometimes pretty bizarre to us when others don't necessarily see it that way. A few years ago, I was working in a church on the west coast, and I was having a conversation with someone about how much it seemed like God was moving in the church at that time. He looked at me kind of quizzically, and said the following: "I feel like you're trying to convince me that God is moving, because I just don't see it." After talking for a while longer, something became apparent. He and his circle of friends were seeing a pretty high degree of difficulty in life at that particular time, and to Him, God seemed kind of absent. And his conclusion was that God must be kind of absent from other people's lives as well. We've all been guilty of this at some point - however close we feel to God at a certain time, we can project the same thing onto others, and think that that's how it must be for other people as well. This can lead to being cynical when someone else feels particularly close to God, or feels like whatever God is doing is really worth celebrating, because we can feel they must not be looking at things realistically, or logically. In our "me-centered" approach to life, looking at things "logically" means seeing them the same way we are at that moment. 

This is a particularly difficult thing in the church, which is (or should be) completely centered around God and His movement. It can get pretty tough when it seems like our perspectives on God's movement don't really line up. The beautiful thing is, though, that that's precisely one of the reasons God created us for community. When I feel distant from God, and you testify that God is doing awesome things in your life, I can have my hope jumpstarted. When I feel particularly encouraged, and you feel down, I can help you understand that God is closer than you think. The trick is to understand that part of community is lending each other perspective...We can, and should, be people who don't let opportunities go by to let each other know what God's doing in our lives. You never know how powerfully God will use that in someone else. And it heads cynicism off at the pass, as well. It's harder to be cynical when we get confronted by the goodness of God everyday...I'm so grateful for each of you, in my immediate church community and those who are a part of my life from afar - Through you, I get to see God do things in ways I might never have understood if I'm judging Him based solely on how I feel at the moment! Through each of you, I see Him in new and amazing ways every day! These past few months have been a phenomenal lesson for me on perspective, and I don't think I'll ever be the same! Peace...